Nectarines and Apologies
by oldschoollover
Summary: Takes place after the events of Q-in-Law. Lwaxana is sad after the way Q treated her and Q has come to apologize.


**Takes place right after **_**Q-in-Law**_**. I own nothing. Enjoy **

Lwaxana went back to her quarters at the end of the day. It had been a _very_ long day, what with Deanna choosing to be with Data. How could she play a joke on her, Daughter of the Fifth House?!

_Ah well,_ she thought,_ that's my Little One for you._

Lwaxana still hadn't been feeling like herself. Sure, Kerin and Sehra were happily married now, but Q's sneering face and sardonic voice still lingered in her mind. She had managed to keep hold of the Q power, (thanks to Q Two), and had beaten Q to a pulp. She _really_ would have emasculated him with that battle axe, if Jean-Luc hadn't gotten in the way. Q had apologized but she hadn't really believed him.

_I think you're not good enough to feel love_, she had told him angrily. _You're just not good enough._

Then she found herself crying in her room and Q Two had taken her powers away and as they had said their goodbyes to the Graziunas and Nistral parties, Lwaxana still hadn't said her goodbyes.

Now here she found herself, alone in her quarters again. She looked towards the fruit bowl and sighed as she saw the absence of the nectarine that Q had told her was the secret of the universe. Q had shown her so much, had _given_ her so much…and to think she meant no more to him than a lab rat. Jean-Luc had explained to her what he had said to Q, that the reason why Q was so angry at her was that he harbored some feelings of love for her, despite his disdain for human emotions. Lwaxana had smiled and shaken her head sadly.

Lwaxana changed into a black nightgown, lay down on her bed, and stared up at the ceiling. She remembered waltzing with Q among the stars, and Q grabbing a star and holding it in the palm of his hand. How could she have been used like this? She, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Riix? Lwaxana felt deep regret. She should have listened to Deanna and Jean-Luc, but she felt like she had been so in love with Q, that she was willing to believe anything Q had said to her, in spite of everyone's warnings.

Lwaxana continued to stare and the ceiling. Then she sighed and got herself out of the bed into the bathroom. She turned on the light, grabbed a wash cloth, and washed her face, hopefully, of all the sadness she felt. When she lowered the cloth, she realized she wasn't alone in the reflection. Q was there, in his Starfleet uniform, gazing sadly at her. Lwaxana gave a startled yep and jerked around. Strong hands grabbed her wrists and she was face to face with that Starfleet uniform. Her jaw had stayed in its dropped position and she was trembling.

"Lwaxana," Q said. Lwaxana slowly moved her eyes up, jaw still dropped, body still trembling.

"I had a talk with Q. He was right. Jean-Luc was right. I do harbor some feelings of love for you. And you're right. I'm not good enough to feel love. I know I treated you terribly and you had every right to try to kill me."

Lwaxana shocked stare turned into and icy glare. Her jaw snapped shut and she began to struggle in his grasp.

"Let go of me!" she spat.

"I came here to apologize to you, truly apologize to you. I don't expect you to love me after how I've treated you and, hell, I wouldn't even love myself if I were you. I just wanted to say, 'I'm sorry.' I'm so sorry, Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Riix and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed."

Lwaxana's steely gaze softened a bit.

"How can you try to humble yourself now? You're always up to no good. I won't believe anything you say anymore." she said softly.

Q's grip on her wrists tightened, his gaze hard. Then he sighed, looking saddened.

"Like I said, I didn't expect you to fall into my arms. I just came to tell you how I feel." He dropped her wrists and walked into her bedroom. She followed him hesitantly, rubbing her wrists.

Q looked into the fruit bowl. The nectarine was missing. Q shook his head.

"I'm so…so sorry." Q said without turning around.

Lwaxana didn't know what brought this on. When he last spoke to her, she was dirt under his shoe. And now…guilt?

"You're not getting my pity, if that's what you came for." Lwaxana stated simply.

Q turned back to her slowly, slightly hunched, so they were eye level. He looked her in the eyes for a few minutes. Lwaxana started to become disconcerted. She clenched and unclenched her hands in fists.

Q took her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. Lwaxana was taken aback, partly by the kiss, and partly because, as soon as his lips made contact with hers, she felt and explosion of emotion from him. She had never been able to sense emotion from him before, but here it was now, pure love for her. She saw images of happy times they had together. She saw his sneering face again and her own aghast face and saw Jean-Luc and Q Two talking to Q. She felt the guilt of the event. The image of them waltzing in the sky danced in front of her eyes. A tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek.

The kiss had only lasted a few seconds. Q pulled away. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought his eyes looked a little wet.

"Not good enough…" Q breathed.

He vanished in a flash of light. Lwaxana was left feeling a little dazed. Then her eyes focused on the fruit bowl. Among the apples and the grapes was a single nectarine. Lwaxana smirked a little in spite of herself and let out a sigh.


End file.
